Very strong case of fraud against Vijay Mallya in extradition case: Government source

New Delhi: A central government source on Wednesday said there was a “very strong prima facie case of fraud in terms of Fraud Act 2006 of UK” against liquor baron Vijay Mallya. This reply comes in the wake of number of press reports suggesting that there was no evidence to support ‘case of fraud’ presented by the Union Government against Mallya in the extradition case.

Defence counsel Clare Montgomery on Tuesday argued that the Indian government, in the extradition trial of Mallya, was “clutching at straws” to implicate the liquor baron in an alleged fraud case as there was no evidence to substantiate the allegations.

The extradition trial of Mallya, who is wanted in India for financial irregularities involving a total amount of Rs 9,000 crore as well as money laundering, began at the London’s Westminster court on Monday, wherein Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) outlined the Indian government’s case against him.

The source further outlined that Mark Summers, who represented the CPS, in his opening statement, had laid before the court the basic ingredients of fraud that is falsities, false projections and intention not to repay the loan and use the same for purposes other than those intended for.

“The post default conduct of Vijay Mallya, especially before the Supreme Court and other courts was also highlighted by Mark Summers to bring home the fact that Mallya has to answer about his dishonest intentions in the contempt proceedings against him in Supreme Court of India,” the source further said. The Indian government further alleged that there were ‘factual inconsistencies’ in the arguments advanced by counsel Montgomery, in defence of Mallya and the same was “rhetoric” not based on sound evidence.